Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Thank you for contacting me about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. I appreciate hearing from you.

In October 2015, the United States announced it had finalized negotiations with the 11 other TPP countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Free trade agreements like TPP allow American companies of all sizes to take part in the global economy, which can lead to job creation and economic growth here at home. While gaining access to foreign markets is important to our economic future, we must keep the best interests of our country in mind when we craft trade agreements with other nations.

To guarantee that American workers are protected from the effects of trade, I have supported the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. This initiative provides reemployment services for workers who have lost their jobs due to increased imports or a shift in operations overseas, including training, job search, and relocation benefits.

All trade agreements should be fair for American workers and not tilt the playing field toward the off-shoring of U.S. manufacturing jobs. This and other considerations will be a priority for me when considering TPP.

The text of the TPP has not been released to the public. Once TPP is made public and the President declares his intent to sign the agreement, Congress will have 90 days to review and vote on it.

I will keep your views in mind as the Senate considers the final TPP agreement.